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Being tech-savvy is key in today’s business world. It increases the reach of both a product and the customer service and helps create a stronger bond between the community and its businesses. It’s so important that tech powerhouse Google recently launched a nation-wide e-city list. The award is presented to one city per state, and is given to a city that displays the strongest online business community, one that successfully utilizes the web to help businesses grow. Our very own lake-area city of Minnetonka is next in line to receive this award.

As you may remember from last week, I’ve been scouring local vintage and antique stores for furniture and décor to spruce up my new apartment. Well, this week, I’m ready to take my vintage-hunting self to Excelsior. Excelsior’s annual Flea Market opens this Saturday, August 17, right in the middle of Downtown Excelsior. Not only can you shop vintage jewelry, artwork and other collectables, you can also catch a beautiful view of Lake Minnetonka while rummaging through the multitude of amazing finds.

Having just recently moved into a new, slightly larger apartment, I’ve been deliberating and systematically scouring antique stores, vintage shops, garage sales and estate sales for new-to-me pieces of furniture and décor. The thrill of finding the perfect gently used frame or a shabby chic, rustic wall hanging is like none other. As my apartment decorum isn’t near completion, I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled this summer for new sales in new places to drag my fiancé or sister to on my home furnishing expedition.

Can anyone else barely believe this week marks the first of August?! With the weather acting like we’ve already broached September, I guess we can assume fall will come at us as heavy-handily as winter left us. And that’s why I’m taking the opportunity to grab some outdoor concerts, sip a chilled beverage on a restaurant patio and stroll around the lakes—before it’s too late. You should join me! Check out the City of Minnetonka’s Music in the Park series, on Tuesday, July 30, for some great tunes. Or head to Shorewood with the kids on Monday, Aug.

Sue Simonson, technology integrationist for the Westonka School District, is one of only 50 educators from around the globe selected by Google to attend the Google Teacher Academy, held Wednesday, July 24, in Chicago. Her leadership in introducing the Mound Westonka High School to Google Apps for Education in 2009 helped her gain traction around new technology in the district. Since becoming technology integrationist, she’s implemented Google Apps for the entire district.

As Molly so eloquently said last week, the transition from her editorship to mine has officially transferred as of today. She has prepared me well to take over the reins of Lake Minnetonka and I’ll be indebted to her for a long time for passing along such a high quality publication.

The time has come for my last blog entry. While I was originally thinking this was my final goodbye, I realized you’ll still see my face in the magazine as I’ve planned the content through October. This letter, then, is my unofficial swan song, as next Monday night I hang up my hat and move onto greener editorial pastures here in Boston.I’ll save the big guns for the October editor’s note, but wanted to briefly thank you all for helping to shape me professionally—and personally—over the last 3+ years.

The Navarre Community Initiative group made significant headway at a June 10 meeting at the Orono City Council chambers. Jim Grube, Hennepin County director of transportation, visited the group and proposed a list of safety improvements to be implemented this summer. These include: Two crosswalks for County Road 15—one near the bus shelter and a second farther to the east. The second crosswalk is to feature a raised median “pedestrian refuge” at the street center and would incorporate a pedestrian-activated flashing high-intensity light system.

I hate to use that clichéd phrase, but it sums up the situation so well: All good things must come to an end.

For those of you I don’t communicate with personally, you’re probably unaware of the fact that I relocated to Boston at the end of March. That’s right—I’ve been editing the magazine remotely for the past month-plus, and will continue to do so for a couple more. The tentative plan is for me to pass the torch this summer, so I’m incredibly grateful for the flexibility afforded to me to slowly transition out of a role I’ve loved with all my heart.